Heinz Kohut believed that when used for compassionate and well-intentioned therapeutic purposes, empathy deepens client introspection and enhances treatment outcome. However, he defended himself against critics whom he thought misinterpreted his work to mean that empathy and kindness were alone sufficient clinical ingredients for effective treatment.
Clinicians working with depressed, vulnerable and psychologically damaged clients may also believe that it is their primary responsibility to provide the corrective, empathic milieu absent in childhood. Instead, and by listening to Heinz Kohut, you will gain clarity as to the exact nature and role of empathy in psychotherapy and appreciate the deeply empathic nature of introspection and interpretation. Whether or not you adapt a psychoanalytic framework, Kohut’s reflections on empathy will provide a refreshing perspective on its value and limitations in the therapeutic process.
